Another Batho thread I'm afraid

[Micalijo]

I notice on Mad that they are compiling a list of questions for him and that there is some kind of informal event lined up for Saturday morning where our Rich will be fielding some questions.

Am I right in saying that the questions relating to finances and team matters are nowt to do with Batho and he will simply say nowt to do with me?

Once again, can someone please explain to this very simple person what Batho does if he is not putting to Birch the intense level of disenchantment/frsutration and growing anger felt by thousands of loyal Blades to the owner, board and alot of players. He may well do this, I don't know but if not what does he do and has learnt to use the internet yet?

 

[lenners]

The inability of our own fans rep to communicate what he does (or to use a computer) kind of fits with the mismanagement of the club itself.
Looks more and more like he was the ideal pick for the board.

 

[Micalijo]

Totally agree. Some good stuff on Mad about it.

One very straightforward message about what he does and what he sees his brief being would suffice. I'm sure we've had second hand stuff stuff from Linz etc about no financial questions and no player questions but not from Batho himself I'd really like to know what he has been doing, how he has been spending his time - and what access he has to Birch.

I know what the players do (Trafford Centre, Zizzi's, sleep), I know what ticket office staff do (very little through no fault of their own) but what does Batho do. I'm genuinely interested.

As Len says - plenty read these forums who don't post - and they'll tell their mates etc who don't bother.

Does Batho need an IT assistant? I'll do it for £40k per annum.

 

[lenners]

I suspect he's probably fatally compromised by taking the club's shilling for the role.
So far, the music's changed though on what basis, on whose recommendation, do we have any idea?
Why on earth we now come out to a Guns n'Roses record that has nothing whatsoever to do with football, United or particular dramatic effect is anyone's guess.
Perhaps Batho's a fan.

 

[shorehamview]

Why on earth we now come out to a Guns n'Roses record that has nothing whatsoever to do with football, United or particular dramatic effect is anyone's guess.
Perhaps Batho's a fan.

As opposed to the massive football anthems that are the Star Wars theme, or the snippet of thrash metal we had the other year? What should we come out to?

At the moment the tune most suited would be by Rainbow - "I Surrender". Unless there's some ditty called "We're Going To Get Tonked(Again)".

 

[HappyBlade]

I notice on Mad that they are compiling a list of questions for him and that there is some kind of informal event lined up for Saturday morning where our Rich will be fielding some questions.

Am I right in saying that the questions relating to finances and team matters are nowt to do with Batho and he will simply say nowt to do with me?

Once again, can someone please explain to this very simple person what Batho does if he is not putting to Birch the intense level of disenchantment/frsutration and growing anger felt by thousands of loyal Blades to the owner, board and alot of players. He may well do this, I don't know but if not what does he do and has learnt to use the internet yet?

He can use email and has sent me one, which was both polite and had the promise of a phone call. So he can use a PC. I think he is there to fullfill a few roles:
a. Too act as a filter to sort out the chaff (many and definately not all BladesMad type rants).
b. This leads to the second part of the same thing to give the board therefore a feel for how the fans think. Its obvious at the moment there is a lot of hostility as we have just entered the bottom three.
c. To utilise the ideas and thoughts of the customer, something all businesses try to do to improve the product they offer. (this was why I contacted him with an idea I had some time ago). Using Rooks on the message boards wasn't working that well.
d. Acknowledgement that the fans are more than customers they are part of the community and therefore vital to the survival of SUFC and therefore a dialogue with the fans is vital.

The problem is that the now McCabe haters (Beighton and his ilk) see the role there, for their venting of hatred and answers as to why we are were we are. That was not why the role exists. It is not to provide answers as to why things have gone wrong or spin or "Create sandbags" as one disgruntled Bladesmadder put it, it was to conduit thought flows from the fanbase to the board. Not to vent spleen......or ask who has the freehold.

 

[Gareth]

Absolute needless waste of a wage in my opinion. If TB had confidence in his own abaility this "shit filter" would not be needed and that's nothing personal against Battho in anyway, just his position alone.

How can the guy be taken seriously? We all have a loyalty and responsability to our employers, Battho is no different.

 

[grafikhaus]

I suspect he's probably fatally compromised by taking the club's shilling for the role.
So far, the music's changed though on what basis, on whose recommendation, do we have any idea?
Why on earth we now come out to a Guns n'Roses record that has nothing whatsoever to do with football, United or particular dramatic effect is anyone's guess.
Perhaps Batho's a fan.

...which pretty much sums to the impossibility of Batho's position. Are we worried we might have lost another manager in a weeks time? Are we concerned about dropping into Wednesday's league? Should we worry about the club's finances? No, but stop playing Guns 'n' Roses as the team comes out.

Change the music.


Len.

 

[lenners]

...which pretty much sums to the impossibility of Batho's position. Are we worried we might have lost another manager in a weeks time? Are we concerned about dropping into Wednesday's league? Should we worry about the club's finances? No, but stop playing Guns 'n' Roses as the team comes out.

Change the music.


Len.

You seem to have spectacularly missed the point.
One, we don't know what Batho does, what his brief is, pretty much anything that he does.
Two, the only thing that appears to have changed is the music.
Three, if he's had something to do with it, on what premise was it done. A random fan emailed him? Batho likes Guns n'Roses?
Four, I'm well aware the music isn't the most important thing on the radar but if there isn't even any clarity on why that was done, the whole thing looks like a pointless charade.

As pointed out earlier, the whole appointment is becoming a farce and another few grand down the toilet.

 

[Micalijo]

He can use email and has sent me one, which was both polite and had the promise of a phone call. So he can use a PC. I think he is there to fullfill a few roles:
a. Too act as a filter to sort out the chaff (many and definately not all BladesMad type rants).
b. This leads to the second part of the same thing to give the board therefore a feel for how the fans think. Its obvious at the moment there is a lot of hostility as we have just entered the bottom three.
c. To utilise the ideas and thoughts of the customer, something all businesses try to do to improve the product they offer. (this was why I contacted him with an idea I had some time ago). Using Rooks on the message boards wasn't working that well.
d. Acknowledgement that the fans are more than customers they are part of the community and therefore vital to the survival of SUFC and therefore a dialogue with the fans is vital.

The problem is that the now McCabe haters (Beighton and his ilk) see the role there, for their venting of hatred and answers as to why we are were we are. That was not why the role exists. It is not to provide answers as to why things have gone wrong or spin or "Create sandbags" as one disgruntled Bladesmadder put it, it was to conduit thought flows from the fanbase to the board. Not to vent spleen......or ask who has the freehold.

I'm not convinced Birch is aware of the disenchantment.

My take on what Batho's role is includes him distributing as widely as possible details of what he and Birch talk about. If he writes to Birch I think us fans should see copies of his stuff. At least we then know what is happening. Don't expect to see answers of course as Birch doesn't have to - fair enough - but we'd get to know by what happens or doesn't. Just a summary of the subjects under discussion - anything.

I've no doubt Batho is a polite, well meaning Blade through and through but impossible imo to be paid by Birch and also tell him frankly what is going on amongst fanbase.

 

[HappyBlade]

I'm not convinced Birch is aware of the disenchantment.

My take on what Batho's role is includes him distributing as widely as possible details of what he and Birch talk about. If he writes to Birch I think us fans should see copies of his stuff. At least we then know what is happening. Don't expect to see answers of course as Birch doesn't have to - fair enough - but we'd get to know by what happens or doesn't. Just a summary of the subjects under discussion - anything.

I've no doubt Batho is a polite, well meaning Blade through and through but impossible imo to be paid by Birch and also tell him frankly what is going on amongst fanbase.

I don't think that is true if that is what his remit is. If he is told as part of his role is to keep the board aware of feelings and we are in the bottom three he's hardly going to report that all is rosy is he?

He has to be careful what gets into the public realm as the papers particularly the pig loving Stir will crate a falsehood from it. I don't think his main role is to buffer fan resentment its just that fan resentment has increased at a time he has taken the role. There was a small rise in optimism when Adams first arrived which was when he was in the role since then we have dropped further and the fans demand that the nature of his appointment be changed to suit their displeasure.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

I genuinely had no idea who he was or what he did, so I googled him and got to the bladesmad page where they talk about him hanging on "that other forum", I'm assuming the other forum is this one(???).

Does he post on here? I wouldn't go as far as to say I read every post or topic on here but I usually pop on here a couple of times a day and catch up on stuff and I've never heard of the guy before this thread.

If he doesn't post on here (its not a name I recognise) and he obviously doesn't post on mad, having read he's a "Fans Liaison Officer", would it not be fair to expect that role to include some kind of internet involvement/engagement (and I don't just mean having an e-mail address) in this day and age?

 

[lenners]

HappyBlade,
The major problem is there is no clarity what his remit is, what he's doing, what the lines of communication are, what the lines of feedback are, what the club wants to know from fans, whether it's interested in season ticket ideas etc, etc.
The guy knows all this is being talked about quite widely on this and the other site and yet he can't even come and post on here to provide some basic information.

 

[Trigger Blade]

HappyBlade,
The major problem is there is no clarity what his remit is, what he's doing, what the lines of communication are, what the lines of feedback are, what the club wants to know from fans, whether it's interested in season ticket ideas etc, etc.
The guy knows all this is being talked about quite widely on this and the other site and yet he can't even come and post on here to provide some basic information.

I haven't been on much these last few days, but I don't want you to think I've forgotten you or your acolytes and that you can just get off unchallenged, oh no laddie.

In fact len, to summarise, the problem that you see with Richard Batho is a perfect scenario for you, it couldn't be better, yet another stick to beat the club with and we're all so powerless, aren't we and they're all so useless, aren't they?

Except, that's not quit true is it, because you had the offer of a face to face meeting with him and declined it on the spurious basis that it wasn't your views that matter (could have fooled me, you spend enough tiime relentlessly ramming them down everybody's throats on here)? In fact, you've refused every chance you've ever had to make a difference to the club you claim to love. You exist in a vortex of impotent fury and that must be an uncomfortable place to reside.

 

[lenners]

Trig, the whole point is that Batho should be making clear publicly what his role is (and posting on this and the other forum is a good place to start), establishing general lines of communication, showing a bit of accountability, transparency etc.
The reason for this has been perfectly illustrated by the general confusion and increasing irritation about his role currently being expressed.
The role has communication at its heart and he's not doing that.
The logic is not difficult to understand. Take time out from stalking and I think you'll grasp it.

 

[raul]

Here you are Richard, someting to get inplace for Jan 2012

http://www.hiberniantv.co.uk/clubstore/backtothefuture2011.php

 

[dingledog]

It would be very helpful if he could post exactly what his role involves and this remove any speculation. I feel certain it will be honourable and with the intention of being positive.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Trig, the whole point is that Batho should be making clear publicly what his role is (and posting on this and the other forum is a good place to start), establishing general lines of communication, showing a bit of accountability, transparency etc.
The reason for this has been perfectly illustrated by the general confusion and increasing irritation about his role currently being expressed.
The role has communication at its heart and he's not doing that.
The logic is not difficult to understand. Take time out from stalking and I think you'll grasp it.

I get the point, I've got as good an idea as I feel I need as to what Richard Batho's role is and I'm happy to let him get on with it, I don't want his job description. Is there really general confusion? There may be in your mind, but that doesn't make it the norm. I see your increasing irritation and that seems to be because he hasn't popped up here like you think he should.

Anyway, there's a meeting with him set up for tomorrow morning, you could pop along and sort it all out, put him right about what he is or isn't doing and what he should be doing and I for one, look forward to hearing back from you afterwards. I've got a lot of time for doers, people who make things happen, a lot more than for those who just sit back and whinge.

Thanks in advance for your action on our behalf.

 

[Micalijo]

Cheers for bouncing the string back to the top Trig

It seems that Batho has assumed responsibility for getting some pathetic, bland platitudes out of Monty and Morgan. Brilliant stuff - get behind the lads and BDTBL will become a fortress etc etc. Just more evidence that he is fully under Birch's wing.

Now that is what I call communication.

 

[lenners]

Trig, I'm far from the only one who would like some clarification on what Mr Batho's role is.
I've no idea what the meeting is and I'm sure even your rather jaundiced mind would acknowledge that feedback on the meeting with a fans rep should actually come from the fans rep himself.
Unless you're feeling we should be phoning him up or emailing him to ask when meetings are, what he does etc, etc.
He already looks a dead duck.

 

[Big Mart]

I get the point, I've got as good an idea as I feel I need as to what Richard Batho's role is and I'm happy to let him get on with it, I don't want his job description. Is there really general confusion? There may be in your mind, but that doesn't make it the norm. I see your increasing irritation and that seems to be because he hasn't popped up here like you think he should

Looks from the posts on here that it isn't the norm, and that you're one of the few who are ITK about just exactly what the "voice of the people" is there for and what he does.

On a seperate note, it's nice to see that you still aren't obsessed with Lenners, and that despite the fact that you haven't been on for a few days you still get that little urge to take a wee dig at every opportunity. You remind me of that bloke on Alan Partridge Trig, do you have a Lenners pillow case and pictures of him on your wall

 

[shorehamview]

.......do you have a Lenners pillow case and pictures of him on your wall

Better than a life-like blow up doll I suppose.

 

[Bert]

Looks from the posts on here that it isn't the norm, and that you're one of the few who are ITK about just exactly what the "voice of the people" is there for and what he does.

On a seperate note, it's nice to see that you still aren't obsessed with Lenners, and that despite the fact that you haven't been on for a few days you still get that little urge to take a wee dig at every opportunity. You remind me of that bloke on Alan Partridge Trig, do you have a Lenners pillow case and pictures of him on your wall

If it's of interest to you.....Bert has some Lenners toilet rolls.

 

[Big Mart]

And said toilet rolls should come in handy, as Bert does tend to spout a stream of shite :hello:

 

[Trigger Blade]

Looks from the posts on here that it isn't the norm, and that you're one of the few who are ITK about just exactly what the "voice of the people" is there for and what he does.

I'm not ITK at all, but I am happy to let the bloke get on with his job and not write him off after such a short time because he hasn't done what I subjectively expect him to in telling me what he's up to.

If I felt really strongly that I'd been underinformed regarding his remit, I'd make it my job to find out what it is, though that involves action and it's easier just to whinge. That was my point.

 

[lenners]

Trig, we know you don't think a fans' rep should inform the people he represents of what his role is, what he's doing, to communicate with the fans.
It's a bizarre contention but I think we've all grasped it by now.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Trig, we know you don't think a fans' rep should inform the people he represents of what his role is, what he's doing, to communicate with the fans.
It's a bizarre contention but I think we've all grasped it by now.

len, you silly billy. Despite me telling you several times, you continue to be obtuse about it.

I read the initial coverage on the OS, that told me as much as I need to know. I'm not an active member of a fans' group, otherwise no doubt I'd know more. It doesn't trouble me unduly that he hasn't hand deliverd me a copy of his job description.

Time will tell if he does a worthwhile job. I take your point that he's being paid by the club to tell the club what are likely to be some unpalatable truths, but the club wasn't compelled to make the appointment. As you well know, doing nothing is easier than doing something.

 

[Chapel Allerton]

Well, whatever Richard Batho's job description is, he's just been of great help to me by arranging a sponsor-free Blades shirt for me to wear in the London Marathon. I'll be having the Alzheimer's Society logo printed on it instead. I'll be begging you all for sponsorship shortly but the point of me posting on this thread is to publicly thank Richard Batho and to let people know what he has done to help me. I e-mailed him, and he sorted it. I should point out that I had e-mailed someone else in the club with the same question several weeks before but it wasn't even dignified with an answer whereas Richard responded immediately and delivered on his promise.

Thank-you Richard.

 

[Linz]

Well, whatever Richard Batho's job description is, he's just been of great help to me by arranging a sponsor-free Blades shirt for me to wear in the London Marathon. I'll be having the Alzheimer's Society logo printed on it instead. I'll be begging you all for sponsorship shortly but the point of me posting on this thread is to publicly thank Richard Batho and to let people know what he has done to help me. I e-mailed him, and he sorted it. I should point out that I had e-mailed someone else in the club with the same question several weeks before but it wasn't even dignified with an answer whereas Richard responded immediately and delivered on his promise.

Thank-you Richard.

Glad to see you got it sorted

 

[lenners]

len, you silly billy. Despite me telling you several times, you continue to be obtuse about it.

I read the initial coverage on the OS, that told me as much as I need to know. I'm not an active member of a fans' group, otherwise no doubt I'd know more. It doesn't trouble me unduly that he hasn't hand deliverd me a copy of his job description.

Time will tell if he does a worthwhile job. I take your point that he's being paid by the club to tell the club what are likely to be some unpalatable truths, but the club wasn't compelled to make the appointment. As you well know, doing nothing is easier than doing something.

I'm afraid the hand delivery bit is right up there with those who contend that anyone who suggests United might be under-achieving are magically actually stating 'we have a God given right to be in the Premiership'.